Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

What’s the Combined Federal Campaign?

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The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) is the world’s largest annual workplace charity campaign and it is available to all federal employees, including service members. In 2013, $209.7 million was donated through CFC pledges made between September 1 and December 15 at almost 200 campaigns throughout the country and around the world. The number of participating charities is estimated at more than 20,000 worldwide.

Have you heard of the Combined Federal Campaign? Have you donated to your favorite charities using the CFC in the past?

The CFC is the only authorized giving program for federal employees. Its history dates back to June 1956, when President Dwight Eisenhower formally charged “the President’s Advisor on Personnel Management with responsibility for the development and administration of a uniform policy and program for fundraising within the federal service. In that year, Fund Raising Bulletins No. 1 and No. 2 were issued, identifying the charitable organizations recognized for on-the-job solicitations and designating the times of the year during which their solicitations could take place.”

Prior to the 1950s, federal on-the-job solicitation “was an uncontrolled free-for-all. Agencies, charities, and employees were all ill-used and dissatisfied,” according to the Office of Personal Management.

The first “combined” campaigns happened in 1964. Officially called “Combined Federal Campaigns,” this experiment consolidated fundraising drives from 6 cities into one. The result was a “substantial increase in contributions, ranging from 20 percent to 125 percent and a highly favorable response within the federal community: agency managers were pleased with having to deal only with a once-a-year effort; federal employees responded with favor to the single solicitation.”

In 1971, President Richard Nixon announced that the CFC would be the uniform fundraising method for the federal service.

Today, the Combined Federal Campaign provides a convenient and confidential option for service members who want to donate a percentage of their paychecks or make a one-time donation to their favorite charities.

The Office of Personal Management oversees the CFC. Each base has its own CFC agency coordinators who oversee the key workers. The key workers are federal employees who distribute the CFC charity list and pledge forms within their unit. These key workers may also collect pledge forms and donations from contributors. All pledges are transmitted and reported to the agency coordinator.

I was once the CFC key worker for the MCCS Okinawa Marketing office. My main responsibility was to notify each person working in our office about the CFC. There was zero pressure to donate. The CFC doesn’t have a fundraising goal. Instead the target is that 100 percent of federal employees are notified about the campaign and its purpose.

I also distributed the CFC charity list and answered questions about the CFC. For example, one of the misconceptions of the Combined Federal Campaign is that the charity list is made up of only national nonprofit organizations.

When in fact, the charity list includes national, international and local organizations. This means that the CFC charity list includes a wide range of nonprofit organizations. Think everything from UNICEF to the NRA to Navy Seal Foundation to Guam Girl Scouts.

You can search the charity list easily using the CFC Search Tool found on the CFC website.

What questions do you have about the CFC?

Info About the Combined Federal Campaign

https://www.opm.gov/combined-federal-campaign/

FAQ about the Combined Federal Campaign

https://www.opm.gov/combined-federal-campaign/donating-through-cfc/#url=FAQs

Welcome to the official source for information about the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)

The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.

CFC is the world’s largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with almost 200 CFC campaigns throughout the country and overseas raising millions of dollars each year. Pledges made by Federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season (September 1st to December 15th) support eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world. The Director of OPM has designated responsibility for day-to-day management of the program and to its CFC office.

This website will be of interest to anyone interested in workplace giving.


http://www.cfctoday.org/_root/

OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION

Welcome to CFCToday.org, the Web site developed to provide resources for local campaigns and to help Federal employees make informed, educated decisions about giving to charity through the Combined Federal Campaign. The CFC is your campaign, run by Federal volunteers across the nation and overseas, it is the largest employee campaign in the world.

We invite you to learn more about the Combined Federal Campaign, connect with the CFC in your own community, and review the charities that need your support.


http://cfcoverseas.org/news/cfc_overseas_announces_2015_dodds_art_competition_winners

Smokin’ Deals at the Commissary in July

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The commissary deals for July are on fire! Everything on sale is great for Fourth of July celebrations, summer snacks for you and your kids as well as keeping your furry friends at home content.

Here’s a sneak peak at the commissary specials in July.

Nestle Drumstick Dessert Cones (Vanilla, Variety Pack, Simply Dipped or Super Nugget, 8 count or Lil’ Drums, 12 count) are on special for $4. That is definitely the perfect cool down treat on hot summer days.

My husband and I look for opportunities to stock our pantry with canned goods  because of how easy it is to prepare meals if we’re on a tight schedule. Del Monte is having great deals on their canned fruits and vegetables in July at the commissary. I’m definitely going to partake!

Ideal for smoothies, fruit salad and other side dishes, Fruit in Syrup No Sugar Added Very Cherry, Sliced Pears, Fruit Cocktail or Sliced Peaches, 14.5-oz cans or Mandarin Oranges, 15-oz. cans are only 4 for $3. In addition, Del Monte’s Southwest Corn, Cut Golden Wax Beans, Green Lima Beans, French Style Green Beans with Roasted Garlic or Whole Green Beans are also 4 for $3 as well as No Salt Added Whole Kernel Corn, Cream Style Golden Sweet Corn, French Style Green Beans, Cut Green Beans and Sweet Peas are 5 for $3. These sale prices last the entire month of July.

For a sweet on-the-go snack, the 4-pack of Fruit Burst Squeezers (Strawberry, Peach-Mango, Apple-Cinnamon, Mixed Berry or Blueberry) are ringing in at 2 for $3 and Fruit Naturals (Mandarin Oranges, Yellow Cling Peach Chunks, Cherry Mixed Fruit  or Red Grapefruit) are 4 for $3.

Our four-legged friends are covered with some amazing prices from Purina on the large bags of pet food. Complete or Indoor formula Cat Chow (25 lbs.) is only $15.99 and Complete Dog Chow (55 lbs.) is only $23. Just for the felines, Tidy Cats Non-Clumping Clay Litter for Multiple Cats with Glade Touch Odor Solutions (50 lbs.) is on sale this month for $5.99. For extra savings, clip this $1.05 coupon. Can’t forget our K9s with Alpo T-Bonz Dog Treats Filet Mignon, Porterhouse or Ribeye Flavor (45 oz.) at $5.36.

Now for the items that would be great for your summer get-together. Hefty Everyday Soak Proof Plates (50 ct.) is $1.50 and Hefty Ultimate Easy Grip Cups (50 ct.) is $2.39. To wrap up delicious foods for your guests, use Reynolds Wrap. The aluminum foil (200 sq. ft.) is only at $5.99. These specials end July 15, so don’t forget to stock up on these paper products for all summer long.

Lastly, I have to mention all the awesome deals on snackable food. Totino’s Pizza Rolls (Pepperoni, Combination, Cheese, Supreme or Triple Meat, 40 ct.) are $1.99. It’s easy to pop in the oven for your hungry family.

Another sweet snack you can pop in your oven is Betty Crocker’s Fudge Brownie Mix. A box is just 99 cents and you can choose from Milk Chocolate, Fudge or Dark Chocolate. Yoplait Greek Yogurt is only 65 cents for a variety of flavors, including Blueberry, Lemon, Key Lime, Vanilla, Pineapple or Strawberry. Don’t forget to combine that savings with a $1 off coupon.

Also, I’ll be grabbing bags of the party size bag of chips that are on sale for future camping trips. Tostitos Tortilla Chips, Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavored Tortilla Chips, Ruffles Originial Potato Chips, and Lay’s Classic Potato Chips are $2.98.

Want to know the weekly manager’s specials? Sign up for MilitaryShoppers’ newsletter to be kept up to date on all the sales at the commissary.

Understanding Common Military Phrases

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At a young age, I was exposed to military lingo. When I would ask my dad if a friend could spend the night, he would answer “negative” for no. When my mom would request a task from my dad, he would reply, I got your 6. All. My. Life.

Even with early conditioning as a child, I have scratched my head here and there because the military culture, just like with any culture, has evolved since my dad’s time in service. Plus, I’ve come to realize that each branch has their own interpretation too. I still had a lot to learn.

Recently, I sat down with my husband and went over all the expressions and sayings that I’ve heard my dad and him say time and time again. With his help on clarifying the sometimes not so obvious, we’ve come up with our list of the most commonly used military phrases below.

Common Military Phrases Your Service Member Uses at Work and May Use at Home

Roger: Yes

Got Your 6: Got your back

Rack: Bed

Rack Time: Sleep

Civies: Civilian clothes

Camies: Uniform

Cover: Hat

Unsat: Unsatisfactory

Boot: New military member

Battle Rattle: Wearing all your combat gear

Downgrade: Drop your jackets

High and Tight: Expression for a military type haircut, where hair is extremely short on the sides and a patch of slightly longer hair at the top

Good Idea Fairy: Somebody that comes up ideas that lead to extra work

Joes: Generalizing military members, shortened from G.I. Joe

Command/Big Boy Voice: Speaking up and authoritative

Ground Pounder: Infantry service member

Geardo: Buys and wears more tactical equipment than they need

High Speed: Someone that performs well

Ate-Up: Someone not doing a good job, not within regulation

Household 6: Spouse, my husband says, commander of the household

Bird: Aircraft, spoken about helicopter

Helo: Particularly helicopter

Liberty/Leave: Time off

Moon Beam: Flashlight

Head: Toilet

Hit the Head: Go to the bathroom

Klicks: Kilometers

Beat Your Face: Push-ups

Back on the Block: Civilian life

Zero Dark Thirty: Really, really early in the morning, pretty much still dark outside

Aye, Aye: Heard and understood

Bag Nasty: Take out food given in chow halls or foreign areas

Galley: Kitchen

Drive On: Keep doing what you’re doing

Soup Sandwich: Could be a person that does something wrong or a situation

Bravo Zulu: Good Job

Hooah/Oorah: Exclamation, typically used to acknowledge a message

This list only touches on a handful of common military slang phrases and words. It obviously isn’t the comprehensive list! There are tons more out there and lots that are also specific to military branch.

Which military slang words would you add to this list?

National Professional Licenses Would Help Working Military Spouses

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You graduated from college and got your teaching license in one state and then the military moved you to another. You want to work but you can’t. Your professional license isn’t valid in your new home state. What a frustrating situation to be in. You are trying to support your spouse and your country and you can’t even work because of a state license, a professional license that you worked hard to earn.

National Professional Licenses Would Help Working Military Spouses

How much money have you spent transferring your professional license?

Sound familiar? There are several careers that military spouses have worked hard to have but they have to give up their job because of state licensing. The process to get a new license can be complicated as well as cost you time and money.

Some states allow out-of-state licenses, others do not. The regulations can be really random and there is no national standard. This isn’t only an issue for military spouses. Civilians move to a new state for their spouses’ jobs too and run into this same type of problem.

So what is the answer? Have you faced this state licensing problem as a military spouse?

It would be great if there was a nationwide license transfer standard. Where it wouldn’t matter where you got your license and where you live in the United States because you could simply transfer your professional license without a lot of issues. Doing this would allow you to find a job in your field without having to worry that you don’t have the right license. This change would make life a lot easier for military spouses who want to further their careers.

The good news is that there is a group trying to make this happen.

The Third Way is a D.C.-based Think Tank working toward an “Interstate Teaching Application.”

Each state would evaluate the person as well as their credentials. Those working as nurses, lawyers and other professions would be able to benefit from something like this too.

I know if I worked hard to get a license and start my career in one state, I would really like to continue to practice my field in another state no matter where the military might send us.

Related: 5 College Degrees Leading to Portable Careers

Life can be hard for military spouses when your career has to be put on hold. Not all spouses want to be a stay-at-home mom. There are so many spouses out there that want to continue working and can’t because of situations like this. It would be better for everyone if something could change to make it possible to easily transfer a professional license.

These changes would also encourage those who are in school or thinking about going to college to pursue one of these careers. They can continue their future careers more easily when the PCS comes. I know if I was debating a certain program, I would want to know that I could continue that career into the future, wherever we might go and whatever state the military might send us.

What do you think? Should professional licenses for nurses, teachers and lawyers be accepted nationwide?

Marine Corps Experimenting with Coed Living

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“Did you know your husband is living with a female?”

That’s what a fellow Navy wife told me when my husband was deployed to Iraq with his Seabee battalion in 2007. When I was told that husband was living with a female sailor, I wasn’t jealous, nervous or upset. Mostly I was just confused. So I asked my husband about it. He quickly explained that yes, technically he was sharing a space with her (because they didn’t have time to build a separate room for a woman), so they put up a wall to divide the space. That reasoning made sense to me. It wasn’t the Hilton. It was a deployment.

Eight years later, I’m amazed with the number of active duty females I see on base. You can see that the military world isn’t a man’s world anymore. And as the Defense Department facilitates the transition of more females into combat roles, the logistics of a coed fighting force are being ironed out with various trials and experiments. One of those gender-integration experiments is taking place in 29 Palms, Calif.

Marine Corps Experimenting with Coed Living

What do you think of coed living for military service members?

Marines assigned to the Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force are living side-by-side “in tents— regardless of gender— the way a future integrated unit might expect to live during field training or downrange on a deployment.” The Marines chose their tent mate; in this experiment, all the females decided to pair up with another female. There are separate shower facilities.

Related: Carter Says Women in Combat Could Be More Vulnerable to Sexual Predators

Besides completing their typical training, the Marines are also given the opportunity to give feedback about integrated unit cohesion throughout the experiment. These surveys and interviews will be analyzed and published in a study by the Center for Naval Analyses. The study will analyze the “Marines’ perception of the unit as a whole,” according to the Military Times article.

This same article said that “despite the close quarters and privacy challenges, Marines said they settled easily into the arrangement.”

“It was really strange for some people at first,” said Cpl. Kevin Rodriguez, 22, who was directly assigned to a staff position at the artillery unit in the Military Times article. “But now it’s like we’re brothers and sisters. It happened really fast; I was pretty surprised. Now we’re sleeping together on the ground, on the back of the trucks, like it’s normal.”

Normal. As DoD works to incorporate women into combat roles, that’s what we need to strive for, a sense of normalcy. We need to strive for living conditions, coed or not, that feel normal to the service members experiencing these living conditions.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think of coed living for military service members?

5 Simple Recipes for Your Summer Camping Trip

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My husband and I love to camp. The smell of wood burning, sound of birds chirping and the most exciting part, the taste of campfire food!

5 Simple Recipes for Your Summer Camping Trip

What do you like to cook when camping?

As soon as the weather warms up, we plan at least one trip out to the woods a year. It’s also a great way to explore the area around your duty station!

ReserveAmerica is a great site to find the local campsites in your area. Most (all of the campsites I’ve visited), use that website to place reservations of the actual campsites too (I’ve camped in New York, Texas and Virginia).

I grew up a city gal and the closest thing to camping I’ve ever experienced was a tent in my backyard. We even brought out an extension cord to watch TV, which is completely cheating!

Now, I’ve found that the great outdoors is a great way for my husband and I to disconnect and enjoy each other’s company, uninterrupted by technology. For the duration of our time in the woods, we cook and prepare meals on the open fire. We wrangle together our mess kit, which includes a couple of travel pots, pans, dinnerware and utensils–as well as our camping gear for a fun and delicious camping adventure.

At first, cooking real food might be a little intimidating. But, with the right preparation beforehand, it can be easy to throw together hot and tasty meals for your family. For example, combine all dry ingredients and spices per recipe in a Ziploc bag. Also, chop and mince all appropriate veggies (like onions) and place them in Ziploc bags as well.

5 Simple Recipes for Your Summer Camping Trip

Cooking food when camping might be a little intimidating. But, with the right preparation beforehand, it can be easy to throw together hot and tasty meals for your family.

Here are my 5 absolute favorite and simple campfire recipes.

You can’t go wrong with chili! It’s great by itself or you can pour it on top of a hot dog that’s heated by the fire.

Black Bean Chili

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb ground turkey (I use beef)
  • 3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, undrained
  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat; cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add turkey and cook, stirring, until meat is brown. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, basil and vinegar. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 60 minutes or more, until flavors are well blended.

To adjust the heat, I use oven mitts to move the grill gate close to or away from the fire. That’s the easiest way for me to manipulate the temperature.  Or, you can scooch the pot away from the direct flame. It really depends on the type of grill your campsite provides. We typically bring another grill plate with handles, so it’s easy to lift the cooked food off the camp grill.

Grilling Potato Wedges

  • 3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch thick wedges
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of ancho or regular chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix together the dry ingredients. Then, brush the potatoes all over with olive oil and place over the hot side of the grill and cook until browned and crisp on both sides. Move the potatoes to the cooler side of the grill, cover and continue to grill until cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes longer (test with a fork). Remove the potatoes from the grill to a large bowl and sprinkle with the spice mixture to taste and toss to coat.

BBQ Chicken Kabobs

  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 cups assorted cut-up vegetables (bell peppers, mushrooms, onions and zucchini)
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce

To prep at home, arrange chicken and vegetables alternately on 8 skewers. On the hot grill, place the kabobs to cook 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (170°F), turning after 8 minutes and brushing frequently with the 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce. Use the leftover barbecue sauce to serve.

Juicy Ranch Burgers

All you need is about a pound of ground beef and 1 or 2 packets of ranch seasoning mix (depending on your taste) to make this recipe. Before you leave, mix together the ranch seasoning and beef. Then, separate the beef into 4 patties and now it’s ready for the fire.

I also use onion soup mix as another flavor variety.

My favorite campfire recipe is PIZZA!

Yes, it’s pretty simple to make on the open fire. I grab a roll of refrigerated pizza dough (or you can make your own) and roll it out onto a cast iron grill or our removable camping grill (so it’s easy to take off the fire), but you put it directly on the grill rack if the dough is thick enough. Make sure the grill is hot before putting the dough on it though.

Pour on about ¼ cup of tomato sauce, as much mozzarella cheese you think is necessary and then your favorite pizza toppings. Cook until dough is done and cheese is melted through.

Don’t forget to include snacks to munch on while hiking. Piece together the perfect trail mix recipe or try out my favorite granola bar recipe too!

What’s your favorite food to make when camping? Share the recipe with MilitaryShoppers and you could win. One winner every month.

Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

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You’re having a baby. Congratulations! What a wonderful, exciting and terrifying time. Let’s add a PCS in there to help those already fluctuating hormones. If this is you, take a deep breath and find comfort that you are not the first milspouse to be expecting, moving and seeing your spouse off all at the same time. You are not alone.

Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

Knowing the signs of postpartum depression and recognizing it in yourself is the first step.

There is a great network of support out there for you; you just need to know how to find it and we’re here to help.

I am a planner. Things don’t always work out the way you want it to though, especially when you’re married to the military.

We planned and conceived our child while on shore duty and when I was 6 months into the pregnancy we PCSed from Florida to Virginia. I went from a small town I knew well where I had a job, friends and family to a big city where I had to find new doctors on my own while my husband went through chief’s initiation (read never home). He came home one day and told me he would be deploying shortly after our son would be born. That is a lot for a pregnant woman to handle.

Pregnancy hormones are often talked about and every woman’s experience is different. This was my first pregnancy. I was pretty optimistic, a happy person that took things in stride. I was very excited about our new life adventure. Basically, I was on a happy stride during my pregnancy. Then the baby came. What goes up must come down, or so the saying goes. I was so happy to be a new mother, to hold our precious 5.7 pound peanut and to have my husband here for the delivery. When I went home though, my hormones changed as my body adjusted to motherhood.

People don’t really talk about postpartum depression as a personal experience. It wasn’t until I had my baby that so many friends told me how depressed they were after giving birth.

How could anyone be depressed at having a wonderful child of their own? It isn’t something you can control, that’s how.

I consider myself a very strong person and didn’t want to admit to myself, let alone anyone else, that this could be something that I would face personally. But how do you deal with it?

Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

People don’t really talk about postpartum depression as a personal experience. Source: Photosavvy via flickr

Knowing the signs of postpartum depression and recognizing it in yourself is the first step; being brave enough to get help is the next. Postpartum Progress puts it in simple terms with a list of questions you should ask yourself. Does this sound like you?

  • You feel completely overwhelmed and helpless.
  • You feel guilty for feeling this way and that you are a terrible person for not being happy as you think you should be.
  • You want to hurt your baby or yourself or to run away from your family.
  • You feel angry, annoyed, irritated, sad or nothing at all.
  • You just know you are not yourself.

If this sounds like you, then reach out and get help. It might be terrifying, you might feel ashamed to admit it to friends or family, but you will feel so much better when you do. There are many resources for milspouses:

  • Utilize Tricare and talk to your doctor. She can give you a referral to a specialist.
  • Military OneSource is a free resource specifically for military families. They offer online support, live calls and links to find in-person help. I also like their guide to having a baby while your spouse is deployed.
  • Postpartum Support International offers live phone sessions where you can speak with a certified specialist. There are local support groups you can join and online resources as well.

    Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

    What resources would you recommend for new moms?

  • MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, is a wonderful group. It’s actually for moms of children from birth through kindergarten. It isn’t a postpartum depression group; it’s a group of mothers that laugh, cry, eat and talk about motherhood. If you are struggling in any way, go meet some other moms. You’ll learn you aren’t alone. I did.
  • Milspouses are great resources too. Talk to your best friend, your neighbor, your FRG leader or ombudsman. Just talking to another grownup can make a difference. Getting out of your pajamas and out of the house often can as well. Go to a spouse brunch or say yes to an invitation to coffee.
  • Talk to your spouse. This should be the first step, but for some it’s the hardest.

No matter which route you take, there is help out there for you. Reading this article was your first step, which one will you take next? Remember you are not alone.

What resources would you recommend for new moms?

Is Free Range Parenting the Norm for Military Families?

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Free range parenting. I am sure you have heard the term before. If you haven’t, free range defines a method of parenting that is a lot more relaxed. This type of parenting allows for children to have a lot more freedom and not as much hovering by the parents.

Is Free Range Parenting the Norm for Military Families?

Giving your children space doesn’t mean you have to let them roam the neighborhood all day, everyday.

You might have heard of the woman who let her 9-year-old ride on the subway alone in New York City. This would be a more extreme example of free range parenting.

If you visit any housing area on a military post, you will see a lot of kids being parented this way. This trend was one of the first things I noticed when we moved to our first duty station. At the time I had an 18 month old and I thought it was a bit strange to see so many kids out and about without any parents watching them.

I realized later this is the norm for military families and this type of parenting may not be such a bad thing after all.

On one hand it is good for children to have some space from their parents. Although I am always with my kids at the park, I rarely like to stand right by them when they play. I would rather they play on their own and have me there to watch from a distance. I have never been comfortable with sending them to the park alone.

Age also has something to do with how you should handle letting your child play. Allowing a 4 year old to go out and play alone is different then letting a 10-year-old child do so. There is also the issue that if your kid is out on post and there are parents out with their kids, they will feel responsible for your kid as well.

This happened a lot at the parks on post in Germany. I would be there with my 2 year old and a few other children I didn’t know. I felt like if something happened, I was the automatic “in charge” adult and I really didn’t like that I was. I was there with my little boy and he was my main focus. However, I couldn’t ignore what the other kids were doing.

Is Free Range Parenting the Norm for Military Families?

What do you think? Is free range parenting the norm for military families living on-post?

I think there is an idea that kids will be safer on a military post and so it should be perfectly fine to let them roam and be a free range parent all of the time. But is this true?

Are our children really safer because we are surrounded by military?

I think this issue is a complicated one in which all parents really need to think about.

I have heard a lot of people complaining about all the children who roam around their neighborhoods. Some of these kids are not doing anything wrong; they are just playing outside with their friends. Other kids do get into trouble and this can be an issue. Allowing so many children to roam can make on-post living a little frustrating whether you have your own children or not.

Ask yourself these questions whether you live on post or off. Figure out what your children can handle and what they can’t. Figure out what you are comfortable with and don’t just do what everyone else is doing.

  • Is your own child old enough to handle being without an adult?
  • Will your child stick to the rules and not cause others to get in trouble?
  • Are you sure that where they are playing is a safe place?
  • Do they know how to check in with you during the day?

Giving your children space doesn’t mean you have to let them roam the neighborhood all day, everyday. You can set up limits based on their personalities and ages. Use common sense and make sure you know where your children are going to be.

Do you think free range parenting is an issue in the military? Do you call yourself a free range parent?

 

Guard, Reservists Can Shop at Commissary On-Site Sales This Summer

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One of the challenges of National Guard life is not living near a military commissary.

Since November 2003, members of the Guard and Reserve–including the Ready Reserve, Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve, Inactive National Guard, Guard and Reserve retirees and their authorized family members–have had unlimited access to commissaries.

But just because they have the access, doesn’t mean they are always able to use it. Some Guard and Reserve families are not able to use this benefit because of the location of commissaries in relation to where they live.

That’s why DeCA created the Guard/Reserve On-site Sales Program. The Guard/Reserve On-site Sales Program provides the commissary benefit to National Guard and Reserve members and their families that live in areas that are not close to an existing commissary store.

We bring the benefit directly to you at these sales which provide patrons savings of 30% or more; the same as active duty military and their families who shop the commissaries on a regular basis.

—Commissaries.com

How does it work?

National Guard or Reserve units with at least 150 members stationed in an area can have a on-site sale, if the host commissary agrees. The host commissary selects the items for the sale. In some cases, patrons may pre-order products and then pay for those items at the on-site sale.

How can my unit get an on-site sale?

Contact your unit representative. This person can request the on-site sale through the nearest commissary. In the past, the commissary has brought the items to a warehouse for sale on a weekend.

Here is the 2015 schedule for on-site sales:

June 19-20

205th Engineer Batallion

1025th Eng CO Vertical

1320 N. Columbia St

Covington, LA 70433

June 26-27

HQ 1015 Maintenance Co

5015 N 34th St, Bldg 900

Forest Park, GA 30297-5122

1072nd Transportation PLS

Hammer Field Armory

5575 E. Airways Blvd

Fresno, CA 93727

July 9-11

482nd Fighter Wing

Homestead ARB, Bldg 920

Homestead, FL 33030

July 12-13

222nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Battalion

1065 N Airport Lane

Cedar City, UT 84721-8410

Sept. 11-12

308th Medical Logistics Co

3323 Deseret Drive

St George, UT 84790

These commissary on-site sales are not only for Guard and Reserve members. Any authorized shopper can buy items at an on-site sale.

For more information about the Guard/Reserve On-site Sales Program visit commissaries.com. Check it often because additional sale dates are regularly added to the schedule.

Will Our Children Be Too Fat to Serve?

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Childhood obesity is a national epidemic that plagues both civilian and military families.

Will Our Children Be Too Fat to Serve?

DoD launched a program called 5210 to encourage military children to eat healthy and be active.

According to the report, Too Fat to Fight, 75 percent of all young Americans 17 to 24 years of age are unable to join the military because they failed to graduate from high school, have criminal records or are physically unfit.

This 2011 report also notes that the Army’s Accessions Command, which carries the responsibility for recruiting and the initial training of new Army recruits, estimates “that more than 27 percent of all Americans 17 to 24 years of age—over 9 million young men and women—are too heavy to join the military if they want to do so.”

That’s right, 27 percent of the next generation is unable to qualify for military service because of their physical conditions.

Besides being unable to follow in their parent’s footsteps of volunteering to serve in the military, obese military children are more likely to experience certain health risks such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. An overweight child or teen today is likely to become an obese adult in the future.

Knowing this, DoD recently launched a program called 5210 to encourage military children to eat healthy and be active. The 5210 campaign recommends 4 strategies for military families to engage in a healthy lifestyle. The 5210 campaign breaks down like this:

5: Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables 

2: Limit screen time to 2 or less hours 

1: Engage in physical activity for at least 1 hour 

0: Avoid sweetened drinks including soda, sports drinks and fruit drinks

When I read these guidelines, I think it’s pretty obvious that 5210 makes sense. If we all engaged in these behaviors, we will all be healthier and more active.

Will Our Children Be Too Fat to Serve?

How do you encourage your children to be active and eat healthy?

But with school out for the summer and my husband on deployment, when I look closely at my children’s behavior, I have to admit that I struggle to achieve these daily goals. For example, I have one child who prefers fruit and vegetables and won’t eat meat. In contrary, my other child won’t eat any vegetables…unless you count French fries as a vegetable. But she will eat fruit. Does that mean I feed her a lot of fruit and cross my fingers that she gets 5 servings?

Now let’s talk about that screen time recommendation. My daughters love their Disney movies and when I’m working from home, I tend to use the television as a tool for me and a distraction for my children so that I can get my work done. My children definitely watch more than 2 hours of screen time when they are home with me. But if I have them run around the playground for 2 hours every day, does that offset their time watching PBS Kids?

The 5210 campaign is a helpful reminder of things that I already know as a parent. My children need to eat more produce and spend more time outside this summer. I’m trying to see 5210 as a welcomed excuse to hit the pool and go for afternoon bike rides together. As long as I can be strong enough to shut off the television.

How do you encourage your children to be active and eat healthy? Tell us in the comments section.